A Growing Faith :: Deeper Devotion

Proverbs 11:4
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

Have you ever taken a walk through the woods on a crisp autumn afternoon? One cannot find many places to become closer to God than in the midst of His own creation. As I walk, the leaves crackle under my feet and I think about the cycle of seasons; how He has so ingeniously woven them together into perfect harmony. The wind blows and I imagine the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the earth, taking great joy in His creation. When I see a vine climbing high up into the trees, I think of you and me. I am reminded of the word of our Lord in John 15:5, “I am the vine and you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Where would I be without the Lord? Through His strength and majesty I am able to climb the highest tree. Nothing is impossible for the one who puts their faith in Christ.

Without a strong trust in the Lord, man will continually seek out alternative sources of faith and hope. King David, before Solomon, proclaimed that some boast in chariots and some put their faith in horses, but he will trust in the name of the Lord his God. In Proverbs we read as Solomon so wisely compares humanity’s faith to the natural wonder of God. Those who put their faith in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. As my mind is taken back once again to that walk through the forest, I remember the leaves under my feet in contrast to those holding so tightly and vibrant to the vines and trees. Which leaves do I resemble the most? Does my life remind you of the flourishing shade of green atop the canopy of trees, or do I appear brown and in decay, beneath the hoofs of wild animals? Do I place my faith in earthly riches or a heavenly treasure?

I challenge you place your faith in no one but the Lord today. While your job and your finances are undoubtedly important, they should never be your reason for living. Trials and tribulations will abound in life, but persevere. Jesus speaks to the persecuted church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. He acknowledges their suffering and promises them life if they will faithfully trust in Him through it all. Proverbs 11:4 says, “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” I pray that when the day of the Lord comes you will not be found decaying on the forest floor, but rather flourishing among the tops of the trees.

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